Episode Nine: The Beast

Taiyo: "I don't really have a choice."

The sun starts to go down over the horizon.

Cameron:<What are we going to do about sleeping?>

Eve:<Two people can be on watch at a time.>

Cameron:<Why two?>

<Security encase one falls asleep.>

R"Beats following some arbitrary plan that makes no sense in context."

*I swear to God if I get some bullshit about how that fish is burnt....*

It's probably still raw inside. Or maybe it's a nice medium rare which is also bad unless it's salmon.

Taiyo: "What are we going to do tomorrow?"

Eve:<Likely the same thing we did today.>

R"Or fight some random battles."

*Roatha stands up.*

R"Hey, Aroma, I'm going to see if I can find some crabs. You & Lalamon mind coming with me?"

A"Um...sure."

*She starts to stand, as well. Lalamon stuffs a wad of seaweed into her mouth, licks her non-existent fingers, & hops into the air.*

Taiyo: "You think the others are doing all right?"

Among the seaweed along the shallows is movement, a Crabmon scuttles out, looking at the three in horror as if they're going to eat them.

R"Huh. Wasn't expecting that."

A"What? But you said we were looking for crabs."

R"Yeah, I lied. I really brought you out here because Euryale let slip what's going on between you 3."

A"I don't want to hear it."

*She starts to head off. Roatha turns around, crossing his arms.*

R"You think she put me up to this, don't you? Why do you suddenly think that everyone's out to get you?"

*Aroma whirls around.*

A"Well, what do you expect me to think!? She scores a threesome, you get to hear all the sordid details...you know, I saw what happened with Taiyo. You tried to make a move, then Euryale swooped in when you failed. It's like...it's like some kind of tag team sport with you 2, isn't it!?"

R"...Wow. Yeah, alright, I admit we can come off kind of strong, but that's not it at all."

*Lalamon just floats in between them, looking from one to the other fearfully.*
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E"I don't know. You think this fish is ever gonna cook?"

Eve:<Maybe we should cut it up then cook the pieces individually.>

Taiyo: "Did anyone else have a knife? My dad showed me that a way to check if things are done is if they're firm."

She moves the fish away from the fire and gives it a poke. With an "Owie," she withdraws her finger to her mouth.

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In an undersea cave, MetalSeadramon roars in frustration.

MetalSeadramon: "What did you think you were doing? I explicitly said to only attack them when they are all together."

Mermaimon: "No, that was just your plan. At least two of them are somewhere in the middle of where Server used to be. It'd be quicker to attack them when they're apart than when they're together."

MetalSeadramon: "Do you think I'm a sadist like the other three? I don't torture my prey like a cat. I have no desire to chase them around the world as smaller groups when one attack on the whe group is enough."

MetalSeadramon charges a River of Power amd unleashes it, darkening the cave some as a row of the crystal coccoons are destroyed, the pale light of the imprisoned Digimon's data floating around. Mermaimon looks horrified.

Mermaimon: "You only torture your subordinates."

*Euryale puts an arm around Taiyo.*

E"You okay, Honey?"
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R"You, Euryale, & Taiyo were good friends. But they want to move your relationship to another level, & suddenly that's not true anymore?"

A"They just wanted sex, of course they were nice to me. Why should they have any interest in me besides that?"

R"Hello, Euryale's ex here. She's not like that. I don't know about Taiyo, but I would assume she's not either."

*Aroma quietly ruminates on this as they stand in awkward silence.*

*Everyone shakes their respective heads*

Taiyo nods her head.

Taiyo: "It's a little hot. It feels pretty done."

E"Great, let's start cutting it up."
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A"...So...what should I do now...?"

R"That I don't have the answer to."

*Roatha looks around.*

R"Can we actually eat that crab?"

Cameron:<Let's eat the outer bits first, then we can always cook the inside more.>

Taiyo: "Did anyone else have a knife?"

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Horrified, the Crabmon scuttles away.

L<It's a Digimon.>

R"So...can we eat it?"

A"Of course not!"
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E"I think I have one."

*Everyone waits for dinner*

Taiyo: "All right."

Taiyo looks at her finger which now features a faint red mark. Renamon adds more branches to the fire as the sky goes dark.

*Roatha looks up.*

R"...We should probably head back anyway."

A"But it'll be awkward...."
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*Euryale touches the fish to see if it's still too hot.*

*Eve looks over in the direction Aroma and Roatha went, then back to the fire

It's hot, but she should be tough enough to not let it bother her and unless she has virgin hands. In the sense she has no tolerance to heat.

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Azuma: "Tomorrow we should try to find MetalSeadramon or at least whatever attacked them earlier."

Hitomi looks at her D-Terminal.

Hitomi: "MetalSeadramon, Mega-level, Cyborg-type, Data-attributed, Steel-elemental."

Azuma: "We've defeated Megas before. Although through other means."

*Whatever that means, Euryale starts cutting meat off of the bones. Meanwhile, those other 3 head back.*

Kylie:<Non-digimon in this world can't...talk, right?>

*lunamon shakes her head, and Kylie looks way more relaxed*

This is proven to be wrong as the fish starts screaming. Presumably at some point they eat and are either asleep or working on sleeping arrangments. Taiyo has her blanket laid out in the sand and fell asleep with her head in Euryale's lap if she's hadn't fallen asleep first.

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Azuma: "How the hell did you ever pick me?"

Hitomi: "Being with you felt nice. It made me feel warm. I have no problems with you or your flaws. We can work together to help you and each other overcome them."

Azuma: "That could be awhile."

Hitomi: "As long as it takes."